KC Dog: Protecting Dog Owners' Rights

KC Dog: Ensuring Fair Access for Dog Owners

An introduction to KC Dog

KC Dog was established by the Kennel Club to campaign for fair access for dog walkers to open spaces and is now the UK's largest dog owners group. It now exists to:

• Keep dog owners up to date on proposals to restrict access to open spaces in their locality;• Work with local authorities, to develop fair solutions to issues that can be caused by dog owners.• Respond to consultations on proposed Public Spaces Protection Orders

Local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can introduce Public Spaces Protection Orders to impose blanket restrictions on where dog walkers can go with their dog and whether they can let their dogs off lead. For example these restrictions may specify a particular park (or area within the park) where dogs must be kept on a lead at all times, or ban dogs from a beach for specific times of year or all year round. At present there are no equivalent powers available to local authorities in Scotland.

KC Dog report – Out of Order, The Impact of Access Restrictions on Dogs and their Owners

We have recently published a report into the impact of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), and other access restrictions on dog walkers. Highlighting good and bad practice, it contains recommendations for both government and local authorities to reduce the risk of unfair and disproportionate restrictions on responsible dog walkers.